Silver Moon Drive-In
4100 New Tampa Highway,
Lakeland,
FL
33815
4100 New Tampa Highway,
Lakeland,
FL
33815
8 people
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Opened on 13/5/1948 with “Up goes Maizie”.
Boxoffice, Feb. 18, 1950: I. Q. Mize, president of the Highway Amusement Co., told the story of his last-minute naming of the drive-in. “One morning before daylight as he and his wife were arising earlier than usual, Mize glanced through a bedroom window and was entranced with the silvery appearance of the moon which shone through his bedroom window.”
Is this theater showing films in scope actually on the screen now that they are digital?
2017 photo added, credit Chuck Ellis-The Flying Valiant.
Also below is the Silver Moon Drive-In’s Facebook page with link to their website.
https://www.facebook.com/silvermoondrivein/?fref=mentions
The Silver Moon Drive-in can be glimpsed momentarily by passengers on passing Amtrak trains. : )
(I just uploaded a photo.)
Video from the 50th Anniversary Celebration in 1998: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX_Yr7At5-s
Valley Drive-in in Aiken County,S.C. was the same way according to projectionists most of the movie was in “the pine trees!”
The problem withth is theater like any of the theaters in the Floyd theater chain is the screens are not wide enough to show movies in scope so the pictures goes off the screen and into the bushes. A waster of my money if I can’t see a film in scope the way it was meant to be seen.
I highly doubt it. The Silver Moon’s website says nothing about it ever switching over to being a negro theater. Sounds like you might’ve found a new drive-in.
I have come across a photo of a playbill for the Harlem Drive-In Theatre that was located “1-½ miles west of Lakeland off New Tampa Highway”. It stated that it was “for colored patrons”. The period appears to be mid-1950s. Is that the same theatre as the Silver Moon?
“LAWMAN” and “WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN” are playing.Another screwed up Double feature.Both GP.
And I wish I would have went here when in Tampa instead of that nightmare of a Drive-in the FUN-LAN Drive-in.
in 1956 it parked 400 cars and was owned by I.Q. Mize.
Very nice looking drive-in and still open after all this time.
Here are two photos:
http://www.agilitynut.com/05/1/lakedi.jpg
http://www.agilitynut.com/05/1/lakedi2.jpg
The chain is Sun Coast Theaters. They also own Joylan Drive-In.
The Silver Moon is also a Swap Meet( Flea Market)
My Family and I moved to Lakeland in September.We had never been to a
Drive-In. The Silver Moon is great. It is now $3.50 a person. Children are free. I work at a theater and I will still pay to see a movie every once and a while to enjoy the experience.
My wife and I try to take in a movie at the Silver Moon once a month. While it features first-run movies and FM radio sound, they still feature the vintage “let’s all go to snack bar” advetisement clips before each show. It also has the original sound modules to attach to the car window (if you don’t want to listen on your radio) and a vintage selection of snacks. All in all it is a true Americana drive-in experience. At $3.00 a car you can’t beat it for a great night out.